Timmins to start at Lock in second
week back

International centre Shaun Timmins will start at lock for the Dragons in his second week back from knee surgery in the Easter Saturday clash with the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium.

Timmins, 26, is one of three changes to the Dragons line-up which was humbled by the Sea Eagles last weekend.

Timmins and John Cross have swapped with Cross going to the bench; while prop Chris Leikvoll and Premier League captain and five-eighth Damien Bower will replace Nathan Tutt and Ryan Tandy on the bench.

It will be the first NRL game for the pair this season, with Leikvoll set to make his 100th NRL appearance and Bower his fourth. Leikvoll returned from a knee injury last week and, along with Bower, played in the Dragons Premier League side which beat Manly 60-6.

Timmins said that apart from a swollen knee, he was happy with how he came through his first game in almost seven months.

”My fitness was a little down, but I'm pretty happy with the way I went,” Timmins said. “It would have been great to score a try when I made that break, but it wasn't to be.

“The pleasing thing was how good my knee felt at the time. It's pulled up a bit swollen but that's to be expected.”

Timmins said he was happy to play lock until his match fitness improved but was hopeful of returning to the centres.

“I played there a bit last year, but I still want to play in the centres,” he said. “I just need to work on improving my match fitness.”